Vacuum cleaner operating switch construction



w. E. BOYD 3,355,562

VACUUM CLEANER OPERATING SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Nov. 28, 1967 INVENTOR. Wf/FOH E. 305 0 Filed Sept. 29, 1966 gnu J 1 :Zngy

United States Patent 3,355,562 VACUUM CLEANER OPERATEIG SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Wilton E. Boyd, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 583,014 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-865) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved foot operated on-off switch for a vacuum cleaner wherein an opening is stamped in a vacuum cleaner housing, a relatively fragile switch is fixed to the housing behind the opening, and an integrally formed switch operator and limit stop member is positioned over the switch actuator knob. The operator includes a rear surface which is slidable on a front wall of the switch casing, and it also includes upper and lower surfaces which are integrally formed as limit stop abutments for cooperating with edge surfaces of the housing opening to prevent overtravel of the switch knob. With this construction, should the switch operator be forcefully moved in an on direction, overtravel of the relatively fragile switch knob is prevented by contact of the wide limit stop abutment of the operator with the edge surfaces of the opening.

This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to an on-olf switch for a vacuum cleaner which may be actuated by the foot of an operator.

In the manufacture of vacuum cleaners, it has been customary to provide an on-off switch for controlling an electric motor which is positioned within the vacuum cleaner housing. The vacum cleaner is commonly placed on a floor to be cleaned, and the switch is usually placed in a convenient position on the side of the cleaner housing where it can be operated by the foot or hand of the operator. Naturally, such a switch has to be ruggedly constructed so that it will withstand the relatively large forces which may be applied by an operators foot, and it also has to be sutliciently rugged to withstand an accidental blow which could be caused should the vacuum cleaner housing hit an obstruction.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to provide a unique switch operator construction for a vacuum cleaner that permits the use of a low cost, relatively fragile switch which is normally not suitable for foot actuation. v

In accordance with one aspect of this invention, an opening is provided in a vacuum cleaner housing and a relatively fragile switch is fixed to the housing behind the opening. The switch includes an actuating knob which extends through the opening formed in the housing. A unique integrally-formed switch operator and limit stop member is positioned over the switch actuator knob. The operator includes a rear surface which is slidable on a front wall of the switch casing, and it also includes upper and lower surfaces which are integrally formed as limit stop abutments for cooperating with edge surfaces of the housing opening to prevent overtravel of the switch knob.

With this construction, should the switch operator be' forcefully moved in an on direction, overtravel of the relatively fragile switch knob is prevented by contact of the wide limit stop abutment of the operator with the edge surfaces of the opening. In addition, the relatively fragile switch knob is protected from any inward blow on the operator. Such a blow would be absorbed by the relatively large rear surface of the operator acting on a substantial portion of the front wall of the switch casing rather than on the relatively fragile and "ice easily damaged switch knob and switch contacts which are positioned behind the knob.

Other objects and attendants advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line and in the direction of the arrows 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the switch operator construction with the major portion of the vacuum cleaner housing shown broken away for purposes of clarity in illustration; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the switch construction illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a vacuum cleaner embodying my improved operating switch con struction 3. As shown, the top wall of the cleaner is provided with an air inlet fitting 4 adapted to be connected to a conventional suction tubular hose 6. conventionally, an electric motor and suction fan construction (not shown) are positioned within the vacuum cleaner housing 8 and a plurality of wheels 10 are provided for rolling the vacuum cleaner over a floor to be cleaned. As illustrated more particularly in FIG. 2, the housing is formed of sheet metal and includes a bottom wall 12 and a generally cylindrical side wall 14.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 4, a relatively fragile on-off switch 16 is provided for controlling the electric motor of the vacuum cleaner. The switch includes a sheet metal casing 18 having a front wall 20 and rearwardly bent side walls 22. Fixed contacts 24, 26 and 28 are mounted on an insulating rear plate 30 which is inexpensively held to the rearwardly extending side walls 22 by tabs 32. A plastic switch actuating knob 34 extends through an opening 36 which is formed in the front wall of the switch casing, and a movable contact 38 is urged rearwardly by spring 40 for cooperation with the fixed switch contacts. With this arrangement, the vacuum cleaners electric motor is turned on when theactuating knob 34 is slid to its upper position with the movable contact 38 is engagement with fixed contacts 26 and 28. correspondingly, the electric motor is turned off when the switch actuating knob 34 is moved downwardly so that the movable switch contact is in engagement with contacts 26 and 24.

In accordance with my invention, an enlarged opening 42 and two rivet holes 44 are readily stamped in the side Wall 14 of the vacuum cleaner housing for forming portions of my improved operating switch construction. As shown in FIG. 4, the front wall 20 of the switch casing 18 is provided with two apertures 46, and two rivets 48 or other suitable securing means are provided for fixing the front wall of the switch casing 20 to the inner surface 50 of the vacuum cleaner housing wall 14 so that the actuator knob 34 of the switch extends through the enlarged opening 42.

A readily manufactured uniquely shaped switch operator and limit stop member 52 is provided for protecting and operating the relatively fragile switch 16. The member 52 is preferably formed of Kra1astic" high impact plastic or other suitable material which may be readily formed in a molding operation. As illustrated, the operator member 52 includes a centrally disposed recess 54 for receiving the switch actuating knob 34. It also includes a pair of guide rails 56 which are integrally formed on opposite sides of the operator 52 for uniquely sandwiching the operator between the vacuum cleaner housing and the switch casing 18. As illustrated, the distance between the rails is slightly larger than the Width of the front wall 20 of the switch casing, and thus the inwardly facing surfaces 58 of the guide rails are arranged for slidable move ment on the rearwardly extending side walls 22 of the switch. It can also be appreciated that the width of the uniquely formed operator is greater than the width of opening 42 so that the front surfaces 60 of the guide rails are arranged for slidable movement on the inner surfaces 50 of the vacuum cleaner housing. With this unique arrangement of parts, the switch operator 52 is held for slidable movement without the use of additional securing means.

The parts are also arranged so that stop abutments may be integrally formed on the operator 52 for preventing overtravel and consequent breakage of the relatively fragile switch'actuator 34. As illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, relatively wide upper and lower surfaces 62 and 63 are provided as abutments for cooperation with the relatively narrow edge walls 64 and 65, respectively of the opening 42. Thus, when the switch operator 52 is moved upwardly to the on position, upper surface 62 of the operator 52 contacts the narrow wall 64 of the opening 42 as soon as contact 38 is moved into engagement with contacts 28 and 26 but before the switch actuating knob 34 engages the upper edge wall portion of opening 36. Likewise, when the switch operator 52 is moved downwardly to the off position, lower surface 63 contacts the narrow wall 65 of the opening as soon as contact 38 is moved into engagement with contacts 26 and 24 but before the switch actuating knob 34 engages the lower edge wall portion of opening 36. Accordingly,

the relatively fragile plastic switch actuating knob 34 cannot be broken by forceable engagement with the upper or lower edges of opening 36.

Stop abutments are also integrally formed on the operator 52 for protecting the switch actuator 34 from any inordinately large sidewise forces. As illustrated in FIG. 3, relatively long surfaces 66 and 67 are formed with the operator 52 for cooperation with the narrow edge walls 68 and 69 of the opening 42. Thus, should the operator 52 be accidentally kicked sidewise to the left, the long surface 67 of the operator 52 will contact the opening surface 6? before the surface forming recess 54 engages the side of switch actuator 34. With this construction, the fragile plastic switch actuating knob 34 and the switch are protected from excessive sidewise forces.

In order to protect the relatively fragile switch knob 34 and contacts 24, 26, 28 and 38 from any. inward blow, my switch operator 52 also includes a relatively large rear surface which is arranged for slideable movement on the front wall 18 of the switch. With this construction, any

.cover 52 an accidental blow, which could be caused by the vacuum cleaner hitting a wall or other obstruction, would force'the fragile knob 34 inwardly thereby damaging the contacts and perhaps forcing the insulated plate 30 rearwardly by breaking portions of the insulating plate 30 or straightening tabs 32.

In view of the foregoing, it can be appreciated that my unique 'vacuum cleaner operating switch construction includes a single additional part 52. The unique operator 52 is provided with guides 60 so that it is held for slidable movement without the use of additional retaining means. In addition, abutment stop surfaces 62 and other portions of the operator are readily and integrally formed with the operator during a simple molding operation. It can also be appreciated that my operating switch construction is able to withstand the relatively large forces which may be applied by the foot of an operator, and it is also While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, and therefore it is aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electrical appliance comprising:

(a) a housing for enclosing said appliance, said housing having a wall including an inner surface and an outer surface;

(b) an enlarged opening extending through said well, said opening having narrow side surfaces extending generally perpendicular to said housing wall;

(c) a relatively fragile switch including a casing having a front wall, rearwardly extending side walls, and a switch actuating knob extending through said front wall;

(d) said switch being fixed to said appliance housing so that the front wall of said switch casing abuts the inner surface of said housing and said actuator knob extends through said enlarged opening;

(e) an integrally formed switch operator and limit stop member positioned over said switch actuator knob, said member including a rear surface slidable on the front wall of said switch and an integrally formed stop abutment surface for cooperation with one of the narrow side surfaces of said enlarged opening to prevent overtravel of said switch knob by contact of said abutment surface with said narrow side surface so that the switch operator may be readily actuated by the foot of a user.

2. An electrical appliance comprising:

(a) a housing for enclosing said appliance, said housing having a wall including an inner surface and an outer surface;

(b) an enlarged opening extending through said wall, said opening having narrow side surfaces extending generally perpendicular to said housing wall;

(c) a relatively fragile switch including a casing having a front wall, rearwardly extending side walls, and a switch-actuating knob extending through said front wall;

(d) securing means positioned on opposite sides of said enlarged opening for fixing the front wall of said switch casing to the inner surface of said appliance housing wall so that said actuator knob extends through said enlarged opening, the front wall of said switch casing abuts the inner surface of said housing;

(e) an integrally formed switch operator and limit stop member positioned over said switch actuator knob, said member including a rear surface slidable on the front wall of said switch, and an integrally formed stop abutment surface for cooperation with one of the narrow side surfaces of said opening so that overtravel of said switch knob is prevented by contact of said abutment surface with said narrow side surface.

3. An electrical appliance comprising:

(a) a housing for enclosing said appliance, said housing having a wall including an inner surface and an outer surface;

(b) an enlarged opening extending through said wall,

said opening having narrow side surfaces extending generally perpendicular to said housing wall;

(c) a relatively fragile switch including a casing having a front wall, rearwardly extending side walls, and a switch-actuating knob extending through said front wall;

((1) securing means positioned on opposite sides of said enlarged opening for fixing the front wall of said switch casing to the inner surface of said appliance housing wall so that said actuator knob exw. E. BOYD 3,355,562

VACUUM CLEANER OPERATING SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Nov. 28, 1967 Filed Sept. 29, 1966 INVENTOR. Wf/FOH E. 305 0 gnu J 1 m r/15y 

1. AN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE COMPRISING: (A) A HOUSING FOR ENCLOSING SAID APPLIANCE, SAID HOUSING HAVING A WALL INCLUDING AN INNER SURFACE AND AN OUTER SURFACE; (B) AN ENLARGED OPENING EXTENDING THROUGH SAID WALL, SAID OPENING HAVING NARROW SIDE SURFACES EXTENDING GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID HOUSING WALL; (C) A RELATIVELY FRAGILE SWITCH INCLUDING A CASING HAVING A FRONT WALL, REARWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE WALLS, AND A SWITCH ACTUATING KNOB EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRONT WALL; (D) SAID SWITCH BEING FIXED TO SAID APPLIANCE HOUSING SO THAT THE FRONT WALL OF SAID SWITCH CASING ABUTS THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING AND SAID ACTUATOR KNOB EXTENDS THROUGH SAID ENLARGED OPENING; (E) AN INTEGRALLY FORMED SWITCH OPERATOR AND LIMIT STOP MEMBER POSITIONED OVER SAID SWITCH ACTUATOR KNOB, SAID MEMBER INCLUDING A REAR SURFACE SLIDABLE ON THE FRONT WALL OF SAID SWITCH AND AN INTEGRALLY FORMED STOP ABUTMENT SURFACE FOR COOPERATING WITH ONE OF THE NARROW SIDE SURFACES OF SAID ENLARGED OPENING TO PREVENT OVERTRAVEL OF SAID SWITCH KNOB BY CONTACT OF SAID ABUTMENT SURFACE WITH SAID NARROW SIDE SURFACE SO THAT THE SWITCH OPERATOR MAY BE READILY ACTUATED BY THE FOOT OF A USER. 